A tough-looking actor with a distinctive voice, Charles McGraw was equally adept as a character actor or leading man. McGraw began his film career in the 1940s, playing mostly small or un-credited roles. He often played hardened characters on either side of the law during the film noir era, most notably as a hired gun in the classic Hemingway adaptation "The Killers " in 1946. He had a starring role in the crime drama "Roadblock," and in "The Narrow Margin," he played a detective in charge of protecting a woman testifying against gangsters. After over a decade of film roles, he was given the starring role in the 1954 secret agent series "The Adventures of Falcon." He also had a memorable role as Marcellus in the 1960 epic "Spartacus" before gradually evolving into a character actor. Later in his career, he often played law enforcement officers in TV dramas such as "Police Story" or "Emergency!," and he landed a small part in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." McGraw also appeared in the 1975 sci-fi cult film "A Boy and His Dog," an adaptation of a Harlan Ellison story. He died tragically in 1980 after falling through a glass shower door.

A tough-looking actor with a distinctive voice, Charles McGraw was equally adept as a character actor or leading man. McGraw began his film career in the 1940s, playing mostly small or un-credited roles. He often played hardened characters on either side of the law during the film noir era, most notably as a hired gun in the classic Hemingway adaptation "The Killers " in 1946. He had a starring role in the crime drama "Roadblock," and in "The Narrow Margin," he played a detective in charge of protecting a woman testifying against gangsters. After over a decade of film roles, he was given the starring role in the 1954 secret agent series "The Adventures of Falcon." He also had a memorable role as Marcellus in the 1960 epic "Spartacus" before gradually evolving into a character actor. Later in his career, he often played law enforcement officers in TV dramas such as "Police Story" or "Emergency!," and he landed a small part in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." McGraw also appeared in the 1975 sci-fi cult film "A Boy and His Dog," an adaptation of a Harlan Ellison story. He died tragically in 1980 after falling through a glass shower door.

Contributions

albatros1 ( 2007-10-04 )

Source: Wikipedia The Internet Encyclopedia

Born Charles Butters in Ohio May 10, 1914, square-jawed Charles McGraw grew up to become an actor and eventually made his first movie in 1942. At first it seemed as though McGraw would spend his movie career playing bit parts as movie tough guys and gangsters, but the actor later developed into an unconventional but appealing leading man. A gravelly voice, unsmiling bearing and rugged looks enhanced his appeal in film noir classics. His career was hampered somewhat by his bearing a slight resemblance to Kirk Douglas.
Gravel-voiced McGraw's notable roles include: playing the grumpy cop hired to protect Marie Windsor in the b-movie film noir classic The Narrow Margin (1952); Spartacus as Kirk Douglas' gladiator trainer; Lt. Jim Cordell in Armored Car Robbery (1950); Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963); and the cult classic A Boy and His Dog playing "The Preacher". He also starred in the TV version of Casablanca (1955) taking over Humphrey Bogart's role as Rick (although his last name was changed to "Jason"). A non speaking role was that of one of the two killers (William Conrad the other) in the classic " The Killers", the 1946 noir that introduced Burt Lancaster, written by Ernest Hemingway.
McGraw died accidentally in 1980 after slipping and falling through a glass shower door.

LYDECKER44 ( 2007-10-12 )

Source: seeing the film

Just a little correction re "The Killers". McGraw did have some dialogue in that scene. Also the script was not written by Hemingway. He wrote the short story which inspired that terrific opening scene (the rest of the narrative was made up by Anthony Veiller and (uncredited) John Huston)